Notes from Sunday, March 4 meeting:
* overview of the proposed Immigrant Detention Center intended to imprison 700-750 people, including families; overview of campaign in Crete (see this blog for more background information)

* ACTION: WALK TO CRETE – a large, public and highly visible action as our response
– two possible dates: March 23-25 OR March 30-April 1
– possible routes: either walk from Chicago to Crete, finding a place along the way for an action and to spend the night – 2 day walk – OR caravan to Chicago Heights and walk from there;
– make contacts with others who would want to participate; make contacts with possible gathering places or hosts along the way; in particular reach out to Chicago Heights

– idea: University Park is very close – maybe a second march from there and meet up in Crete?

possible ideas:
– we have been saying “do not separate families” – ICE responds with a Detention Center Reform and a new generation of private detention centers intended to will lock up entire families – our response is we are one large family

– theatrical or visual elements (chain gang; or build a detention center out of cardboard boxes and destroy it) – presence and defiance
– bring attention to the media and to our communities — there has been very little public debate about this
– put pressure to intensify resistance to the Center – hopefully start a domino effect of other organizations rising up to oppose the Center
– act quickly, we are behind and cannot afford to wait until the contract is signed
– there is a push to build 5 new detention centers nationally; the Crete one will double the state’s capacity for detained immigrants; if the new infrastructure is built, it will be incredibly hard to dismantle and oppose; it will produce even more incentives to criminalize immigrants
– before next meeting: outreach , possible routes, possible stopping or gathering points (colleges? churches? organizations?)
– informational flyer to distribute to – March 10 events? church groups? raise awareness and bring the issue into public attention
– all of us share what we know with all our organizations, networks, contacts

– involve more people and organizations in the planning process and in the walk